nwsailor | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

Member since Mar 19, 2015

Contributions:

  • Posted by:
    nwsailor on 10/07/2020 at 11:03 AM
    Re: “Murky Waters
    To my knowledge Mirror Pond Solutions (Smith and Taylor) have never proven to the City or County officials that they do indeed own the river under Mirror Pond. If they have, why hasn't it been made public?
    Is the Park District about to pay for an easement w/o validated proof of title? How does the amount the Parks are being asked to pay for the small easement ($300,000) compare to what MPS claims to have paid for the entire pond?
  • Posted by:
    nwsailor on 05/31/2019 at 9:40 AM
    People want a holistic approach to Mirror Pond. One element of that is fish passage. When it was built in 1910 the dam was required to have passage. The ladder was not maintained properly and by 1960 it was not longer functional. ODFW estimated in 1990 that 2,961 wild trout were being killed by turbine mortalities every year. This occurs during downstream passage and the turbines aren't screened. 60 years times 3,000 fish is a lot of fish. Add to that the impacts of preventing fish in the warmer Middle Deschutes to migrate out of sometimes lethal temperatures and the isolation of genetic populations of wild trout, the damage done to our fishery is quite significant. PacifiCorps is obviously aware of the problems and has done nothing to fix them. With all the millions of dollars being spent to improve flows and fish habitat above and below the project, it makes no sense for this fish killing machine to continue its current practices. PacifiCorps is responsible for replacing the fish passage they let fail.
  • Posted by:
    nwsailor on 04/26/2019 at 4:36 PM
    Groups have spent millions of dollars upstream and downstream of this project to improve flows and habitat. Others have spent millions to get rid of fish barriers at North Unit and Colorado dam. No one is going to spend the 6-10 million dollars on this decrepit dam to provide passage even though it has killed hundreds of thousands of fish over the years. Take out the dam and go back to the modified vision that 74% of Bendites liked.
  • Posted by:
    nwsailor on 03/10/2016 at 8:43 AM
    Just Add Water

    Few people alive remember what the Upper Deschutes River was like before Wickiup Dam was built in 1949. It was then regarded as one of the finest fisheries in the US. In 1914 Clyde McKay received the Field and Stream award for the second largest stream caught rainbow on a fly in the US. The City of Bend used to have fish fries on the Fourth of July. A few anglers would go out and provide over 3000 fish caught with rod and reel over a four day period. There was once a 125 fish daily bag limit on the Deschutes.
    The river flowed cold and clear. Seasonal fluctuations were minimal due to the porous geology spring fed nature of the upper basin. Spawning gravels for trout were abundant, there was a diversity of aquatic insects essential for food, deep pools for cover and large woody debris gave shelter.
    The stream-sides were stable, with life-sustaining wetlands hosting a multitude of critters, including spotted frogs. Imagine a prolific stream like that flowing through our community today.
    Wickiup Dam changed all of that. Wickiup Dam and its reservoir plugged the natural flow of the Deschutes River. The 200,000 acre-feet that it stores over the winter are now flushed down the river in the summer, like a toilet.
    The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission realized the harm damming the river would have by reducing winter flows and requested no less than 200 cfs (cubic feet per second) minimum winter flows. The figure was felt the smallest flow that the river could tolerate in the winter to keep the river healthy. The State Engineer denied the request in the early 1950’s, and ruled that only 20 cfs would be sufficient. The historic flows of 700-900 cfs were reduced to next to nothing.
    Today the fishery is all but gone. The spawning gravels are silted in like Mirror Pond. The river is highly manipulated. Flows are reduced to a trickle in the wintertime and run at flood stage in the summer eroding the banks. It is managed as an irrigation ditch with no concern for other public values.
    The sad list of abuses goes on. There are dozens of studies on the upper river from a variety of sources. Two local organizations have attempted to solve the problem for decades by consensus building and working with the irrigation districts. They have had some success in the river below Bend. However their work has not improved flows at all above town.
    The problem is not for lack of water. Studies have shown there is enough for both the farmlands and instream flows. The problem is the rampant waste by the districts. Often, only 1/3 of the water diverted gets to the crops. 2/3 of the water diverted is absurdly wasted in systems that were developed before there was any concept of conservation. Flood irrigation is still being used in many locations. 60% of COI’s patrons still use old methods that are only 30-45% efficient. There is not a demand system available for farmers to request only the amount of water they need. How can that amount of waste be considered a beneficial use?
    There is even more trouble on the horizon. Our local irrigation districts are becoming mini energy companies. Most of COI’s revenues now come from generating electricity, not from farmers. They have plans for several additional hydro projects. It will become nigh impossible to get water back instream if they profit from its hydro potential in their canals.
    After decades of failed ”collaborative” efforts to restore flows in the Upper Deschutes, it’s no wonder that law suits have been filed. If we want to have a healthy river that supports fish and wildlife and serves everyone not just irrigation districts, it’s time to act now before it’s too late.
    There are very few options left other than filing lawsuits.
    Craig Lacy
    Past Chairman Coalition for the Deschutes
  • Posted by:
    nwsailor on 08/09/2015 at 7:17 PM
    Re: “
    The fish limit on the Upper Deschutes used to be 125 fish per day. It was one of the best spring creek fisheries in the US. Today it is an irrigation canal, all the spawning graves, oops gravels, are silted in due to manipulated winter and summer flows. Maybe with all the fine folks here from the IFFF, they can help us find a solution.
    Craig Lacy
    Past President Central Oregon Flyfishers
    Past President Grizzley Peak Flyfishers
    Life Member FFF
  • Posted by:
    nwsailor on 03/19/2015 at 12:18 PM
    I don't think Rep. Buehler's bill is very well thought out. I vote to hold PacificCorps responsible for the removal of the dam and putting the area back to pre-project conditions. Let the people of Bend see what a free flowing stream thru town looks like. If they prefer a pond, then apply for state funds and a water permit to build a new impoundment. Do not link fixing the pond to a re-development plan. They have different time lines, funding, management and stakeholders. Do not put the City, Parks or taxpayers on the hook for dam removal and reclamation whose costs could exceed 20 million dollars. Oregon statutes state that"When a hydro project is taken out of service, the project must be decommissioned to restore the stream habitat." PacificCorps should be held responsible to do just that.
    nwsailor